Wheel.



Patented July 6, 1915.l

T F. E H

1. A. BORLAND.

. WHEEL. APPucATlkoN FILED FEB. H. 1913.

' l 1,144,996. Patenten@ 6,1915.

SSHEETS-SHEET2.

WIr/lisses: I /Nvfflron w @Wb I n cf/ar'h/m er v v J. A. BORLAND.

WHEEL.

vAPPLlcAloN FILED mnu. 1913.

1,144,996. Patentd July 6, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTURNEY sa i @PASENT Enron. l

JOHN ARCHIE IBORLAND, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO,I ASSIGNCR 0F ONE-HALF TO POWEL vCROSLEY, CF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July e, 1915.

Application filed February 17, 1913. Serial No. 748,981.

T0 all whom z'zf may concern Be it known that I, JOHN ARCHIE Bon- LAND, a citizenof the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the dounty of 4I-Iamilton and State of Ohio, have inventedl certain new and useful Improvements in IVheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates' to improvements inwheels and has for its object to provide a wheel having a rini and hub held together entirely by air pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel the hub of which is held thereto by piston rods operating in pivotally mounted cylinders.

Another object of the invention is to provide a resilient wheel the resiliency of which is obtained within the wheel altogether by air pressure and distributed around the entire circumference thereof.

With the above and otherobjects in view I have invented the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through my improved wheel, Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the wheel, the outer plates being removed, showing the relative position of the various parts when a heavy load is upon the hub, Fig. 3 is a plan view of a hub, Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the wheel, Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a slightly modified hub construction, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional view of an air cylinder showing a piston. and rod.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the specification and inthe several'views in the drawings and 1 indicates a wheel consisting of a rim 2 to which is held the solid tire 3. To vrthe opposing' sides .of the inner portion 4 of said rim 2 1s secured by bolts 5plates 6 and 7 which form a shell and'which are xedly held'together bymeans of the pivotally mounted cylinders 8 `having vopposing-` projections 9 .and- 10 forming shafts which pivotally seat in the opposing openings 11 and 12 in the members 6 and 7 which form bearing for said shafts.

The outer ends 13 and 14 of said shafts are reduced and screw threaded whereby said member 8 is held in positionby means of the nuts 15 and 16. In each of said cylinders 8 are pistons 17 normally disposed centrally ofA said cylinders and which are connected to piston rods '18 the inner endsof which are -formed with eyes 19 through which project the bolts 20 mounted in the opposing .flanges 21- and 22 ofthe hub 23 which is provided with an annular channel 24 whereby said plston rods 18 are pivotally mounted as near as ,possible to said hub and still allowingzv tically disposed portion 34 of the plate 6 contacts and is slidable against the outer surface 35 of thelange 22. In the inner plate 7 are enlarged-'central openings 36 so that the hub 23 will have sufficient movement without coming into contact with the edge 37 of said plate 7. A cap 38 is screwed to the inner end 39 of said hub, said cap having an enlarged annular flange 40 between which and said flange 21 the .central portion 41 of said plate 7 is slidable.

The cylinders 8 are provided withscrew caps 42 at their outer ends and screw caps 43 at their inner ends, which are provided with openings 44 through which the piston rods 18 project. On these caps 43 are packing glands 45 to prevent any escape of air from the inner part of said cylinders. Each of these cylinders 8 are provided with a centrally disposed opening 46 so that when the surface 47 of the piston 17 is inwardly of said opening, air will be admitted into the outer half 48 of the cylinder 8, and when the surface 49 of said piston is outwardly of said opening 46 air will be admitted into the inner half `50 of `said cylinder. The piston, being` of suchI a thickness that, when in three lower cylinders and in the inner ends of the'five upper' cylinders. v

In Fig. 5 is shown a slight modification of the hub construction' in that the hub 52 is provided with aspindle 53 fiXed thereon in which the axle 54 is rotatable, being supported inthe ball race 55 in .the box 56 formed by the member 57.

Having now described my device I wish it known that I do not limit myself to the exact construction but only to the extent-ofv the scope of the following claim's, which embody my invention and that which I claim to be new. and desire to procureby Letters Patent is:- y i l. A cushioning device consisting of a cylinder having a centrally disposed port, a piston operating in said cylinder and adapted to normally` close said port.-

2. A cushioning device consisting of a cylinder'having a centrally disposed. port, a

piston operating in said'cylinder and adapted to normally close said'port, said piston being-adapted to hold air-under pressure in both ends of said cylinder.

3. In a wheel having a rim -and hub, cylinders having pistons therein forming a connection 'between said hub ,and rim, said cyl- `inders having( inlet ports disposed'centrally thereof, said pistons when in a normal positionadapted to close said ports, said pistons when in a normal position adapted to hold fair under pressure in the opposing ends of said cylinders. Y

4. In a wheel having a rim and hub, cyll inders having pistons therein forming a connection between said hub and rim, said cylinders having inlet. ports disposed centrally thereof, said pistons when in a normal position adaptedA to hold air under pressure in the opposingv ends of said ports, said hub having opposing annular flanges forming 'a recess therebetween, said pistons having rods pivoted in said recess, and opposing plates connecting said rim and hub between which said hub is movable. 1

5. In a wheel having a v'rim and hub, cylinders having pistonstherein forminga connection between said hub and rim, said cylinders having inlet ports disposed centrally thereof, said pistons when in a normal position adapted to close said ports, said hub having opposing annular flanges forming a recess therebetween, said pistons having rods pivoted in said recess, and opposing plates flanges vare slidable, formed in two parts.

thereof, said pistons when in a normal position .adapted to close said ports, said hub having opposing annular flanges forming a recess therebetween, said pistons having rods pivoted in 'said recess, and opposing plates connecting said rim and hub between which said hub is movable, and against which said one of said plates being 7. A wheel, a hub therefor, means where- 'by said `hub is held suspended within said wheel by compressed air, said means consisting of cylinders and pistons, piston rods pivotally connected to said hub, said cylinders being pivotallyI mounted, opposing plates upon which said cylinders are mounted, saidcylinders being suspended inwardly of the rim of said wheel, said pistons adapted to compress air in either end of said cylinders, said cylinders having central air in.- lBtS. I i 1 8. A wheel, a hub therefor, means Whereby said hub lis held 'suspended within-said wheel by compressed air, said means consisting of cylinders and pistons, piston rods pivotally connected to said hub, said cylinders being pivotally mounted, opposing plates upon which said cylinders are mounted, said cylinders being suspended inwardly of the rim of said wheel, said pistons adapted to compress air in either end of said cylinders, said cylinders having central air inlets, said pistons adapted to normally close said inlets and hold'air compressed in each end of said cylinders whereby said 'hub is normally centered in said wheel.

9. A wheel, ahub therefor, means whereby said hub is held suspended-within said wheel by compressed air, said means consisting of cylinders and pistons, piston rods pivotally connected to said hub, said cylinders being pivotally mounted, opposing plates upon which said cylinders are mounted, said cylinders being suspended inwardly of the rim of said wheel,.said pistons adapted to compress air in either end of said cylinders, said cylinders having central air inlets, said pistons adapted to normally close said inlets and hold air compressed 1n each end of said cylinders whereby said hub vis normally centered in said wheel, said hub having opposing flanges, said plates being slidable on said flanges.

10. A'wheel, a hub therefor, means whereby said hub is held suspended within `said wheel by compressed air, said means consisting of cylinders and pistons, piston rods pivotally connected` to said hub, said cylinmesses ders being pivotally mounted, opposing plates uponwhich said cylinders are mounted, said cylinders being suspended inwardly of the rim of said wheel, said pistons adapted to compress air 1n either end of said cylinders, said cylinders having' central air in- Ilets, said pistons adapted to normally-.close said inlets and hold air' compressed in each slidable on saiflanges, bolts mounted in.

said flanges' upon which said rods areV mounted. v

1l. A wheel consisting of a rim, opposing vertically disposed plates connected thereto, ya hub movable within said plates, cylinders pivotedtosaid plates, and pistons in said cylinders and connected to said hub whereby said hub is'suspended, said pistons adapted Y to be held normally in the center of said cylinders, said pistons adapted to hold air under compression in both ends ofsaid cylinders, said cylinders having lcentrally disposed inlet ports.

12. A wheel consisting` of a rim, opposing vertically disposed plates connected thereto,

a hub movable within said plates, cylinders pivoted to said plates, and pistons in said cylinders and connected to said hub whereby said hub is suspended, said pistons adapted to be held-normallyin the center of said cylinders, said/pistons adapted to hold air under compression in both ends of said cyl- 'inders, said cylinders having centrally disposed inlet ports, said .pistons adapted to normally close said ports..

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ARCHIE BORLAND.

' Witnesses:

ANNA BORLAND, L. E. OBR.

Copies ofithis patent maybe obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

